Thumbs
by crazy alligator
Summary: Oneshot drabble.  They were together now...but still, he kept on with the notion that he was just a lowly mutt...all she wished to do was make him realize that he was so much better than he thought himself to be...RenRuki, T for a curse word.


Woo Hoo! Can I hear it for my 30th fanfic? I'd like to send a quick shout out to all my fans, YOUR SUPPORT IS WHAT FUELS MY WRITING! :D Thanks, guys! Anyways, on to the story...I guess this one could be considered as a role reversal of Guilty Pleasure...I got the idea from when I was brainstorming for a 25-prompt fic, and "Thumbs" was one of the random prompts I had on the list. I liked the idea so much, I decided it deserved to stand alone as its own fanfic, and this is what I have come up with for you lovely, lovely readers today. Enjoy!

Thumbs

Rukia had made a decision-to make Renji stop thinking of himself as a tramp. They were even together now...but still, he kept on with the notion that he was just a lowly mutt, a matted stray who would never truly deserve her. And...it was really, really bothering the small woman.

She tried to talk some sense into him once, tried to tell him that, at least, she was also a stray. If he was a stray, she was as well. They had the same roots, the same background...they both grew up in the shittiest place in Soul Society. So, at least, she begged him, he shouldn't act like he was unworthy of her love.

But, of course, he just gave her a hard stare, took her into his arms, and gave that same speech of his he always threw at her when she tried to approach him about the matter.

'You're a star, Rukia. A bright, shining, radiant, wonderful star. We might have both grown up in Rukongai, but the difference between us is that you never belonged there. You always deserved _more_, so much _more_...I never did. My place has always been in the streets, no matter how high in the ranks I might make it, but you've always been a princess...you deserve a castle...a palace.'

And normally, she would've punched him square in the face for saying something like that. But the look in his eyes, the tone of his voice...his declaration was so honest and heartfelt that she couldn't help but squeeze him back tightly as her heart clenched in her chest.

So later, she thought of another method that would be harder for him to evade.

'Are you saying my judgment is clouded?' she had asked him, feigning indignation. 'If you're as much of a good-for-nothing as you say you are, then isn't that calling me an idiot by extension? After all, anyone who would allow themselves to fall in love with a bum must not be that smart, at least by the way you put it.' She had smiled to herself then, but discreetly, so he wouldn't notice. And then, he looked at her out of the corner of his eye, raising an eyebrow.

'You're definitely the brain out of the two of us, Rukia,' he had stated, his response surprising her. 'You've always been the smart one...but, despite that...' He moved closer, gently trapping her between himself and the wall she leaned against. 'You can't just choose who to love...' And he smirked, how handsome he was, and then went on. 'I know...because I've loved you for decades, since before I can remember, and even if I wanted to, I never could have made myself stop.' Damn him! Damn that idiot and his ability to make her melt! Despite those thoughts screaming at her, Rukia had been unable to resist the urge to hide her face deep in his chest, and cuddle closer to him at that moment, delighting in his compliance when he softly returned the embrace.

He had managed to weasel his way out of everything she tried to say to him. It didn't matter how good his reputation was, or how much she loved him, he still insisted that he was a ratty dog down to his very bones. All she wanted was for Renji to give himself some credit...he earned it. He had earned the right to be respected, and to respect himself, and to have her with no regrets or doubts. All she wished to do was make him realize that he was so much better than he thought himself to be.

She had gone through a similar stage, one that had lasted 40 years, until he was finally the one to break her from her cycle of self-loathing. She wished to do the same for her partner...he had convinced her to stop taking the blame for all the world's burdens, and she wanted to convince him that he wasn't a waste of flesh and bones...that was all.

Her final idea, her last resort-it came while she was watching a street mutt hunt down a small field mouse. The canine was crafty, sneaking close first-and then, the small mouse, it noticed him, and bolted away. But the mutt didn't give up. He ran right after the smaller creature, ran with paws that were used for nothing else but such. He came close once-snapping at the rodent, but only succeeding in nipping off the end of its tail. The squealing, terrified animal swiftly zigzagged in an attempt to lose its enemy. But, its efforts were to no avail-Rukia watched as the small animal was snatched up by sharp fangs, its bones crushing under the pressure. And then, the dog, it set down its kill, and tore off hunks of meat from the mouse's carcass with its teeth, swallowing them whole. Using its mouth for most everything...it was fascinating, so unlike how humans would do things...wait!

Rukia jolted upwards as an unarguable idea hit her, and then she practically shunpoed to where Renji was. Upon arriving, upon seeing his shocked face, she bolted in front of him and grabbed his arm firmly.

"Dogs don't have thumbs!" she exclaimed, out of breath, as if she had come running to tell him that the seireitei had collapsed on itself. He gave her a look of bewilderment, confused by her intensity and urgency.

"Wh-What?" asked the redhead.

"These!" she moved her hands up to his, grabbing the digit in question. "These wonderful things that you use to eat, and to hold things, and to function! Dogs don't have them! They eat with their mouths, and they pick things up with their mouths-heck, they even use their mouths to scold their young! But you're not one of them. You're a wonderful, amazing human being who has worth to your life and deserves better than to be seen as a stray!" She was panting after her speech, smiling, sure that, this time, it was going to work.

Renji was astonished, to say the least. Of course, both of them realized that his comparison was purely metaphorical-he was never implying that he was _literally _a canine. But...Rukia was a weirdo, as always...she had her crazy ways of doing things, and her own 'full proof' theories...this was a part of her he hadn't seen in years and years...the fact that trying to prove her point had brought this out, it meant that she really, _really _meant what she was saying. If she believed this strongly that he was more than a worthless mutt, then...maybe he could believe it, too. After all, Rukia was always the brains...she was always right.

And so he dropped down to his knees, evening their heights, and hugged her with every ounce of affection held in his body. "...Yeah...yeah, I think you're right..." were the only words he muttered, and Rukia was so overjoyed to hear it that her eyes brimmed with moisture as she gripped onto his neck, burying her face in his shoulder.

"Finally...finally, you get it...Renji..."

"...Rukia..."

END

Were they in character? Does this whole concept even make sense? You guys will have to tell me what you think, because I can't really tell...the idea seemed really cool in my head, but now that I actually type it out...I'm not so sure...hehe...well, anyways, thanks for reading, Tite Kubo owns Bleach, and I love and appreciate all comments!

P.S. Feel free to check out my new poll!


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